All-Campus Opening Meeting is Monday

The fall semester all-campus Opening Program is Monday, Aug. 24, at 9 a.m. in the Riverview Ballroom, UC, followed by an all-campus hospitality hour at 10:30 a.m. on the UC mall. Everyone is encouraged to attend. If you are unable to attend, opening remarks will be live streamed at the link on the Opening Week Events Web page at  http://www.uwrf.edu/OpeningWeekEvents/ under “All-Campus Opening Program.” Chartwells will be offering lunch on Opening Day for $5 plus tax from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Riverside Commons, UC.

Computer lab/classroom computer software

Each summer Technology Services makes updates and requested changes to the software installed on computers located in classrooms and general access computer labs. You have the opportunity to ensure that the software you requested will function as desired before we begin distributing these updates and changes to the more than 700 computers on campus. To view the list of Windows and Macintosh software, visit https://technology.uwrf.edu/TDClient/KB/ArticleDet?ID=1826. The Windows computer lab DL-161 and Macintosh computer lab DL-162 located in the Davee Library will be available for your testing from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., now through Friday, Aug. 21. Please email [log in to unmask] or call 3687 with questions.

Seeking nominations for Chancellor’s recognition awards for university and academic staff

Honoring outstanding service to the university is an important UW-River Falls tradition. Nominations for the Chancellor’s Recognition Award for University Staff and the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence for Academic Staff are being accepted through Friday, Sept. 25. Details of the nomination process can be found at http://www.uwrf.edu/awards/. The announcement of the recipients of the awards will be made this fall. We have many outstanding, dedicated individuals at UWRF. Please support these individuals through your thoughtful nominations. --Dean Van Galen

New service for graduate student textbooks at the Falcon Shop

Student Affairs and the Falcon Shop have partnered to offer our graduate students a new option, Rent-A-Text, for some of their textbooks. Students will now have the option to pay a rental fee for their eligible materials instead of purchasing. Call Sherry in the Falcon Shop at 3962 for more information and to see if the materials you require for your course are rental eligible.

New Student And Family Programs position open forums

Assistant Director of New Student and Family Programs position candidate open forums are in 120 South Hall on Wednesday, Aug. 19:  10 a.m., Adam Ludwig; 3 p.m., Michelle Sponholz. For more information, email [log in to unmask] or call 3342.

Outdoor Recreation Coordinator position open forum

Campus Recreation is hosting an open forum for Outdoor Recreation Coordinator candidate Travis Roy on Thursday,  Aug. 20, from 10:15-10:45 a.m in the Eau Galle Room, UC. He currently works with UW-Eau Claire Outdoor Recreation and the Mayo Clinic Health System. For more information, email [log in to unmask].

McNair Scholars participants return with national accolades

This year’s junior McNair Scholars cohort just returned from the University of California Berkeley’s 23^rd Annual McNair Scholars Symposium. The UWRF program received a plaque for being the largest group to attend, as well as a plaque awarding initiative as the first group to complete registration for the event. Incoming McNair senior Pang Moua, under the mentorship of Dean Larry Solberg, was also selected to give a plenary presentation, “Pitch Perfect:  Speaking Fundamental Frequency and Fundamental Frequency Variation of Bilingual Hmong Women.” For many UWRF participants, it was their first time flying on an airplane and seeing the ocean.

Fall Semester All-Campus Opening Program, Monday, Aug. 24, 9 a.m., Riverview Ballroom, UC, followed by an all-campus hospitality hour at 10:30 a.m. on the UC mall. Everyone is encouraged to attend. Opening week activities and a live stream to the program can be found at http://www.uwrf.edu/OpeningWeekEvents/. Chartwells will be offering lunch on Opening Day for $5 plus tax from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Riverside Commons, UC.

UWRF is gearing up for the Year of Mexico.The aim of the Year of Mexico program is, over the course of a full academic year, to take a wide-ranging look at Mexico from its earliest history right up to current events. The Year of Mexico program uses a multidisciplinary approach in order to understand and appreciate other countries and cultures. A wide variety of events and activities will be held throughout the academic year. 

“Appleton Montessori teams up with UW-River Falls,” Appleton Post-Crescent, Aug. 15.

“Shields:  Wisconsin universities need public’s support,” TH Online, Aug. 16.

“Fifty accept UW-Stout buyouts,” Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, Aug. 13.

“Racial Wealth Gap Persists Despite Degree, Study Says,” The New York Times, Aug. 16.

“Why Job Growth may Not Be as Bad as You Think,” The Wall Street Journal, Aug. 17.

“The Case for Letting Wisconsin Residents Refinance Their College Loans,” WPR, Aug. 14.

“Scott Walker’s real record on higher education in Wisconsin,” The Washington Post, Aug. 13.